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The CFL may be rich now, but it’s not about to go back to being stupid.

That was one of the themes of commissioner Mark Cohon’s annual state of the league address Friday morning, and it also served as a notice to the CFL Players’ Association that it had better not be expecting a massive jump in the salary cap under a new collective bargaining agreement.

The CFL’s new broadcast deal will kick in next year, just in time for the expiration of the current CBA, and it is expected to provide each team with approximately 4.3 million per season. Currently teams get about $2 million per season.

However, Cohon warned that teams won’t be allowed to spend like drunken sailors when it comes to player salaries.

“Yes, clearly our future is bright and I’m confident about it,” Cohon said. “We can continue to grow and build that modern and innovative CFL, but only if we resist that temptation of going back to the old, reckless financial ways of the CFL. I’m confident, hand in hand with our players, we can build the CFL we want.”

Several CFLPA representatives on Thursday said the players deserve their share of the increasing financial pie and that they won’t be backing down like they’ve sometimes had to do in the past when negotiating CBAs. The times are changing, and the players feel they have played a big role in the league’s resurgence both on and off the field.

The negotiations, therefore, have the potential to be somewhat spirited. Cohon believes they will go smoothly.

“We have a good working relationship,” Cohon said. “We’re very transparent”

A few other highlights from Cohon’s address:

n He defended the league’s decision to keep the protected lists secret for next month’s Ottawa Redblacks expansion draft, even though making them public would create plenty of off-season discussion among fans and keep the CFL in the headlines right up to Christmas.

“I have to wear many hats as commissioner, and I can’t always make everyone happy,” Cohon said. “As I think about this, the most important thing as it comes to the draft is that we need to protect that relationship between the players and the coaches.”

The commish believes releasing the lists would cause tension between coaches and players.

n The focus of Cohon’s address last year was the sad state of the CFL in southern Ontario, but he said TV numbers are up this season despite sagging attendance due to Toronto’s horrible schedule and Hamilton’s playing in a 13,000-seat facility in Guelph while Tim Hortons Field is being constructed in Steeltown.

The Argos have set a 2017 deadline to move out of Rogers Centre, and Cohon said owner David Braley is working to finding the franchise a new home.

“I will tell you there’s definitely a lot of interest,” Cohon said. “There is interest at BMO Field. (MLSE CEO) Tim Leiweke has publicly talked about it. … When I think about the Toronto Argonauts, I wouldn’t put a line in the sand and say they have to be downtown. But it’s really important for them, in terms of contemplating, being downtown.”

n One of Cohon’s concerns is the number of high CFL draft picks who end up going to the NFL for a couple of years or even the rest of their careers. This year, for example, first overall draft pick Linden Gaydosh signed with the Carolina Panthers after the draft, while No. 2 Andy Mulumba had inked a deal with the Green Bay Packers before the Bombers picked him and is still in Wisconsin.

Cohon would like to limit the guesswork that comes with the draft, but that might be logistically impossible because the CFL can’t prevent players from chasing much larger NFL salaries.

“You saw the player awards,” Cohon said. “The majority of the (winners) this year were Canadian. We have some great talent here, and I want to make sure that we attract them here. Part of attracting them here is creating a great environment for them to play as well as being compensated.”

n Finally, the league will examine moving the season up to prevent dangerously cold playing conditions, it will continue to explore adding a 10th team in Atlantic Canada, and the number of concussions this season dropped from 43 to 42.

CBA TIMING MAY BE TROUBLE

Owners and general managers will be earning their salaries this off-season.

A new collective bargaining agreement is expected to increase the salary cap, which this year was $4.4 million, but that number won’t be known until the new CBA is signed. That likely won’t happen until just before training camps open at the start of June.

That means teams will be working in the dark somewhat when handing out contracts, not knowing how much they’ll be allowed to spend in 2014. Free agency starts in the middle of February, and there’s not much the league can do to help.

“That’s why they’re smart coaches and good business people,” commissioner Mark Cohon said. “Part of the challenge is this timing of the CBA. We’re not setting any expectations publicly on what that’s going to be, and our teams understand that that’s going to be a bit of the challenge this year, a bit of an anomaly.”

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The CFL may be rich now, but it’s not about to go back to being stupid.

That was one of the themes of commissioner Mark Cohon’s annual state of the league address Friday morning, and it also served as a notice to the CFL Players’ Association that it had better not be expecting a massive jump in the salary cap under a new collective bargaining agreement.

The CFL’s new broadcast deal will kick in next year, just in time for the expiration of the current CBA, and it is expected to provide each team with approximately 4.3 million per season. Currently teams get about $2 million per season.

However, Cohon warned that teams won’t be allowed to spend like drunken sailors when it comes to player salaries.

“Yes, clearly our future is bright and I’m confident about it,” Cohon said. “We can continue to grow and build that modern and innovative CFL, but only if we resist that temptation of going back to the old, reckless financial ways of the CFL. I’m confid